Implement for attaching hangers to ceilings.



IMPLEMENT FOR ATTAGHING HANGERS T0 GEILINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1904.

FL? .Q.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTCF.

IMPLEMENT FOR ATTACHING HANGERS TO CEILINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1905.

Application filed July 23, 1904. Serial No. 218,176.

To (LIZ It'll/1H1 if may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAY RIDLEY RuYNoLns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of (,ieorgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Implements for Attach ing Hangers to Ceilings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an implement for attaching hangers to ceilings.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective tool for attaching hangers to ceilings without the necessity of using ladders or other means whereby these hangers may be inserted in place by hand.

In crowded stores where it is common to suspend advertising media and signs, as well as articles of sale, from the ceiling it is a most laborious task to secure tacks, nails, or screws therein with the aid of cumbersome ladders.

It is the object of my invention to obviate these d isad vantages by providing a light, compact, strong, and durable tool by means of which a screw-eye, nail, or tack may be securely fastened in the ceiling with great rapidity and without any inconvenience to customers or the course of business.

My invention for accomplishing these ends consists of a lig'ht casting provided with any desirable length of handle having means for clamping a screw-eye in position for insertion in the ceiling and simple means for receiving and holding the head of a tack.

It consists, furthermore, of automatic means for releasing a screw-eye after the shank thereof has penetrated sufliciently far in the ceiling.

\Vith these objects in view my invention consists in addition in the features, details of construction, and combination of parts, as will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a plan view of the tool in operation; Fig. a, a side elevation of the tool in operation; Fig. 5, a similar view showing screw-eye in position for insertion in the ceiling, and Fig. 6 a bottom plan view showing the socket for the handle.

Referring to the drawings, a is a tool-head having in its lower portion a socket into which a handle of any desired length is fitted. Upon the face of said toolhead are mounted a pair of spring-plates b, secured at their respective peripheral ends by means of screws /1. These plates are beveled at their inner ends, so that when disposed opposite each other form a V, which is adapted to receive the head of a tack or nail. The tacks and nails are held in their respective upright positions for insertion in ceilings by the resilient action of the springplates, which when raised by the setting of the tack operate to clamp and securely fasten same in place. These plates may also be formed and adjusted so as to stand at an angle with relation to the plane of the face of the tool, an arrangement which would simplify the setting of the tack or nail. It is not absolutely necessary that the spring-plates be made separate and independent of each other with the required beveled edges; but the means for holding and engaging the heads of tacks. nails, &c., may consist of a continuous strip of flexible metal extending across the plane of the tool, having at or about its center a V-shaped portion stamped out for the purpose aforementioned. hen the tack or nail has been forced into the ceiling by pressure from the handle, the tool is very easily and quickly removed by withdrawing same in the opposite direction of the V, as will be perfectly clear.

In the face of the tool-head a is a square slot f, of any suitable size, which isadapted to receive a screw-eye. Through the outer periphery of the tool extends a screw which onters this slotf at about its center. Onto the extreme end of the shank of the screw and loosely litting said slotf' is loosely fixed a vise-jaw w for clamping the screw-eye. The head of the screw extending into the slotted portion is provided with a crank c for operating the screw. The operation of this tightening and releasing mechanism is as follows: \Vhen the screw-eye has been placed in the slot provided for it, the crank c is moved in an upward direction, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby operating the vise-jaw and forcing it against the screw-eye, thus securing it in position. The tool containing the screw is then placed against the ceiling and rotated until the shank of the screw has penetrated the ceiling. \Yhen the penetration has progressed su fliciently far to bring the crank c in contact with the coiling, the continued operation of the tool forcing down the crank releases the screw and the tool is readily withdrawn, leaving the screw strongly embedded in the ceiling.

It may be stated that the extent of the depth of insertion of any screw into the ceiling can easily be regulated by varying the sizes of the vise-jaws employed, in which case one or half a turn of the crank is but necessary to clamp 5 the screw-eye and release same when all or part of the threads of the screw-shank have been buried in the ceiling.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters IO Patent of the United States, is

1. A tool comprising a head, having a slot adapted to receive a screw-eye, and a handle, a screw extending through the periphery of the tool into said slot, and having loosely 5 mounted on the extremity thereof a vise-jaw,

and means for automatically operating the screw.

2. A tool comprising a head having in its face a slot adapted to receive a screw-eye, a screw extending through the periphery of the 20 tool into the slot, a vise-jaw loosely mounted on the extremity of the shank of the screw, and an automatically-operating crank for actuating the screw and vise-jaw.

In testimony whereof] afliix my signature in 5 presence of two witnesses.

JAY RIDLEY REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

VVILLIAM F. FEW, J ONAS FRoHsIN. 

